A Message to the Black Community: WAKE UP! By
Rodney Brown Earl Greene, director of Center for Dispute Settlement in Wayne County and Minister of Church of Christ of Newark, NY poignantly stated that, African American communities in both Rochester and Syracuse "need to stop blaming the Imaginary Man." With more than 50 percent of people in the city of Rochester and close to 40 percent in the City of Syracuse living in poverty "the buck" usually stops in the chambers of City Hall but Minister Greene argues the exact opposite. "Our history never indicated that we should depend on government or anyone else," Greene said. "History shows that- through the African American community is how others learn to be self-sufficient. Others tried to indentify and replicate the way we pull our resources together and families together- collaboration is not a new monster among blacks but a forgotten one," he said. Minister Greene went on to say, the issue is not with government but with our black men. "As African American men we have to come to grips with who we are and come to grips with our power," he said. "We have a history of lifting ourselves from the grips of poverty. We have to go back and learn our history and retake our positions in our homes and in the lives of our children." Minister Greene believes, in order to improve the social-economic conditions in African American communities, we must deal with "character" issues and take them head-on. He stated- dignity, decency and decorum must be reinstituted in African American communities as a whole and particularly; the Blackman. "We must create a positive light in order to illuminate a positive path for positive growth among our children. This is how we enrich our communities economically, educationally and spiritually." Minister Greene was born and raised in Rochester, NY. He now lives in Lyons, NY. Minister Greene and his family reside in a home that was once used as a Liberty Station for the Underground Railroad. Using as an exemplary model in regards to the African American community, Greene points to the Freedom Schools that was prevalent throughout Rochester and Syracuse during the early 1900s. He noted the main purpose of Freedom Schools was to educate the black population and establish strong communities. "We need to get back to enforcing the importance of education," Greene said. "A lot of our parents and grandparents didn't have it but they made sure we had it. Our heroes are those older African American men and women," he said. "We have to model them." Minister Greene went on to say that, black communities in the past produced men that embraced and molded our young minds and they didn't have to be our parents or relatives but were ordinary men of the community. "We focus too much on the negative stuff and too less on the positive," Greene said. "Everyone needs to once again begin to work collectively for the betterment of the entire community." Using an exemplary model from an individual perspective, Greene acknowledged the works of his mentor, the Rev. Franklin Florence, former president of FIGHT. Freedom, Independence, God, Honor, Today (FIGHT) - set forth a series of demands including more Black representation on neighborhood and city organizations, better schools and more and better employment opportunities. "Martin Luther King Jr. fought hard for racial equality in the South- Minister Florence was our valiant leader for racial equality in the North East," Greene said. "He would champion a cause today if he believed it would strengthen and empower the African American community." In addition he stated, Minister Florence sons continue to carry the mantle for racial equality as did their father. Greene also acknowledged, Kevin Baker, Minister of North side Church of Christ in East Syracuse who's regarded by many as a prominent mentor in Syracuse's African American communities and is very committed to working with Blacks in dealing with the issues surrounding domestic violence. "The African American communities in Rochester and Syracuse share a lot of the same troubling plights," said Greene. "Minister Baker is doing a tremendous job in Syracuse with the youth and reaching out to help resolve important issues and concerns in Syracuse's African American communities. During the interview Minister Greene was asked to respond to the argument or excuse made by many Blacks who blame the troubling plights of African American communities on "Institutionalized Racism." Many African Americans have long argued that most cities today are still ran by racist public officials who pass laws and policies to sustain their own communities and keep down African American communities. They accuse those public officials of intentionally under-funding inner-city schools that are predominantly attended by African American students compared to those that are attended mostly by white students. Also many argue that African Americans are kept out of powerful political positions which leave them powerless and not able to improve their social-economical conditions; individually or for the communities they live in. In response, Minister Greene stated, we institutionalize ourselves. He went on to say, racism is always going to be with us. He noted, in the Bible Moses wife wasn't liked because she was Ethiopian and Peter in Act 10, didn't want to go to Joppa to Cornelius house because he was a Gentile. "Racism is not the problem it is what we invite," said Greene. In further explanation he said, we suffer because of the attitudes we have, our behavior and the bad choices we make which open ourselves up to institutionalized racism. As an example, Greene recalled an incident when he went down to City Hall with three other people to talk about a program in the North East area of Rochester that was beneficial to the development of the African American community that was being considered for closing. Greene said, City Council didn't put a lot of importance on it because they was talking about the North East area of Rochester but most importantly they didn't have enough people with them nor did enough African Americans signed the petition. To make his point, Greene stated, the same night a group from Brighton came down and flooded the placed and they was there for a crack in the sidewalk. "When we decide to come together as a people, as a community- for a common goal and a common purpose for empowerment and betterment of our people, the government will move to our beat," he said. "Power is in numbers." In addition Greene stated when the community is together the issues of violence; poverty and drugs would be of less concern in communities' populated predominately by African Americans. He emphasized, when we decide "enough is enough" things will change. "One thing about the African American community is that we never needed government but when we do need government to do something- we have to do it in numbers as an entire community," said Greene. As a precursor step Green strongly implied that, African Americans have to teach and learn about their history. "A lot of time we as a people make assumptions that we know and understand our history," he said. "Through the process of teaching our history a sense of pride is developed. When a man realizes his power his negative choices and decisions would cease. *When we blame others we give up our power to change- Minister Earl Greene |